The Terrible Fate of Adam Cartwright
by RavenDove
Summary: This story Takes place 1 month after the episode The Crucible. Adam has some health problems and is still dealing with what happened in that episode. There are also wild rumors in town that he is dying. NOT CANNON
1. Chapter 1

WARNING:

The following story contains: Non-Cannon Elements, Hard to believe Plot Devices, Cruelty to a Beloved Character, Possible Line Recycling, and Run on Sentences.

88888888

The Terrible Fate of Adam Cartwright

by Lyda Mae (RavenDove) Dameron

Chapter One

88888888

Adam Cartwright coughed once more for the doctor and was beginning to feel more annoyed with each time he was asked. He'd been sitting on his bed with his shirt off long enough for the stethoscope to actually grow warm. He pushed the old doctor away, "Either tell me what you are fussing on about or leave me be." Adam stood and put his shirt on then began to button it.

Dr. James Brown cleared his throat and put the stethoscope back in his bag then looked to Adam's father Ben who sat in a chair near by. He then pulled a letter from his coat pocket. "Do you remember this letter that Dr. Stone in Salt Flats gave you to give to me Ben."

"I do recall giving you a sealed envelope that he said was personal James." Ben said with a lifted eyebrow.

"He didn't want to worry you at the time but he though you and Adam should know that he heard what we call a murmur while listening to his heart."

Ben frowned. "What does that mean?"

"It means that there is damage to one of the valves in his heart." Dr. Brown began. "The stress of his ordeal in the desert either caused it or made it worse enough that we could detect it." He put the envelope back in his pocket. "It might get less audible over the next while, but the damage will get worse as time goes on."

"Worse enough to end my life?" Adam asked with a serious face.

"Eventually maybe," Brown said, "you'll want to have a doctor take a listen every so often to make sure it's not getting worse and you might require medicine if you develop any worse symptoms."

"What kind of symptoms might he develop?" Ben asked with a little more worry.

"Chest pains with a rapid heart beat, episodes where he can't seem to get warm during a cold spell even though everyone else is just fine or fainting spells." the doctor said as he made sure the contents of his bag were just right and sealed the clasp. "They could show up from time to time, become chronic or never appear at all as Adam grows to a ripe old age." He turned to face Adam. "Just be mindful that if they ever happen you need to see a doctor."

Adam sat back down on his bed and intertwined his fingers so he could force himself not to fidget. After what had happened on his way back from Yuma his father was bound to worry himself over the slightest thing. And like the doctor said, he might never suffer more symptoms.

The doctor picked up his bag and headed for the door of the room. "You should take it easy for one more week, but then you should be able to ride a horse again or do anything your Pa needs done around here."

88888888

Ben could not help but watch Adam as he lay napping on the couch. Adam was not one to waste daylight sleeping but in the time since returning from the Clinic in Salt Flats he had taken to having a short nap after lunch. Part of it was that Adam was still rebuilding his strength and part of it was that he did not sleep well at night.

Ben had heard Adam call out at Kane for some reason or other most nights since finding him in the desert. Some nights he called for his brothers or for Ben but when they came to help him the first few times he had denied doing any such thing and sent whoever came to his room back to bed. Yet aside from his statement to the Sheriff in Salt Flats he had refused to talk about what happened.

What Doc Brown had said did not help Ben one bit. He looked at where the sores on Adam's feet had been then to the shoulders that had bared the weight of a man who didn't deserve to live. A man like Adam needed a strong heart, and Ben had trouble baring the thought that Adam's heart might give out before he was ready to leave this world. Even if that was long after Ben himself had left this life too.

He reached down to straiten the blanket Adam was using only to hear Adam speak. "Don't you have something better to do then fuss and worry over me Pa?"

Ben straightened the blanket despite Adam's protest. "Not at just this moment."

Adam opened his eyes. "Kindly find something." he closed his eyes again but he hoped his message was clear.

Ben walked over to his desk and took a seat. Despite Adam's protests he was still worried about his son. The Adam he had sent to Yuma would not have used such a tone with him.

88888888

(If you think I'm shoveling it on, wait a few chapters.)


	2. Chapter 2

The Terrible Fate of Adam Cartwright

by Lyda Mae (RavenDove) Dameron

Chapter Two

88888888

Ben pulled on the reigns and the wagon came to a halt in front on the Feed Store in Virginia City. Adam sat in the wagon seat beside his Pa and Little Joe was in the back of the wagon. Hoss came out of the store and greeted them. "The Order is ready to load Pa." The other three Cartwrights climbed down from the wagon as Hoss placed the first bag on it.

When Adam reached down for one of the sacks of feed Ben pulled him back up buy the back of his shirt. "You are still suppose to be taken things easy."

Adam gave his father an angry look. "I doubt a few bags of feed are going to hurt me Pa."

John Perkins the store owner watched what was going on afraid that there was something wrong with the order he drew closer and over heard the exchange between Ben and his eldest son. "The Doctor said you were to take it easy right now and you will do as you were told."

"I really think you are taking this too far Pa." Adam said in return.

"If you won't humor the doctor then you will at least humor me." Ben said sternly.

Adam backed away from the bags of feed holding his hands up at his sides in half surrender. "Fine I'm going across the street to the General store. I need a few things from there."

"Take Joe with you he has a list of things we need to pick up there on this trip too." Ben said. Adam started walking and Joe followed close behind.

88888888

Joe had given the list to Tracy Douglas, the daughter of the store owner and she busied herself with gathering the supplies on it while Adam took a closer look at different revolvers that he had asked her to remove from a display for him.

"It would have been nice of those bandits to leave my gun where we could have retrieved it in Salt Flats." Adam said.

"If your gun even made it to Salt Flats they probably sold it like your horse and it's long gone." Joe said.

Adam set down two of the three revolvers and held up the one he liked. "This one is the same model as my old one, but it won't be the same."

"Pa has been a little more determined that you follow doctor's orders this week since Doc Brown told him what was in Doc Stones letter yesterday." Joe said off hand. Not noticing that Tracy had drawn within ear shot.

"I heard them talking in the hall after they left my room." Adam began. "I heard him ask if there was any specialist back East or in San Francisco that could do more if any of the symptoms he mentioned started to happen to me."Adam paused.

"What did the doctor say?" Joe asked.

"That there are only medicines which could be dispense as readily by him as any specialist and even money could not change that." At this point Tracy moved out of ear shot. "I really think Pa is blowing it out of proportion since Doc Brown only said I should watch for them. Not that they would start tomorrow or that..." Tracy again moved close and just caught the last part of Adam's sentence. "I only have a few months to live. I'm not going to let it stop me from living life while I wait for bad things to happen." Half an hour later the Cartwrights had left the general store and were on their way back to the Ponderosa

88888888

Tracy Douglas was absolutely shocked by what she had overheard. Everyone in town know that Adam Cartwright had nearly died in the desert on the way back from Yuma over a month ago, but that he only had a few months to live now. That was news. She and some of the other girls in town were sitting in the local cafe.

"I heard tell that over at the feed store Ben Cartwright wouldn't even let him lift a bag of feed." said Molly Hale.

Jeniffer Michell leaned in closer. "I have a cousin that is a hand out on the Ponderosa and he told me that they brought Adam back laying down in a wagon and he hasn't so much as climbed into a saddle in the two weeks that he's been home."

"A man must be in really bad shape if he can't even ride on a horse." Tracy said shaking her head.

Agatha Jensen smiled a wicked smile. "I bet old Ben Cartwright would give just about anything to the woman that could provide him with a grandchild right now."

"Don't be silly Agatha," Molly said, "He's still got two other sons."

"You're forgetting that he's three times a widower." Agatha said. "Adam was his first born and his first wife died in childbirth." Agatha took a bite of pie.

Jeniffer shook her head. "What does that have to do with it?"

"He must remind Mr. Cartwright of his dear departed first love, and if he has a grandchild by his beloved eldest son... When Adam is gone that grandchild will be worth quite a bit to his old Grandpa." Agatha said with sharp tongued glee.

88888888

(Gossips are always comic fodder.)


	3. Chapter 3

The Terrible Fate of Adam Cartwright

by Lyda Mae (RavenDove) Dameron

Chapter Three

88888888

Adam had hung his hat on the fence behind him as he tried his new revolver against a few make shift targets. The sight wasn't bad. He'd tried revolvers where he'd had to compensate a little to the right or left but this one hit the mark quite well. The action could use a slight filing though. Something he could handle himself back at the house. He went back to the fence and reloaded the revolver then put it in his gun belt and picked up his hat. Then he walked back to the house.

When he got back to the house there was a wagon parked outside and he recognized it as one belonging to their neighbor Mr. Hale. There at the front door was Molly Hale with her father just about to knock. "Hello Mr. Hale." Adam said. "I'm sure my father is in but I don't think he was expecting you."

"That's alright Adam," Mr. Hale said, "I'm only here because Molly wanted to call on you."

Adam smiled slyly, "A man can hardly turn down such a beautiful caller, but I really don't feel worthy of such attention."

"Everyone in town has heard how hard a trip you had back from Yuma." Molly said as sweetly as she could. "But no one has seen hide nor hair of you in town till earlier today and since I missed you I wanted a chance to hear the tale from the source."

Adam took Molly's arm as he opened the door and escorted the two callers into the front parlor. Where he paused only to put his gun and hat in place before offering them a seat. "I can appreciate curiosity, but I hardly think that tales of bandits are appropriate for a young lady."

Mr. hale laughed. "I think my daughter is more interested in the heroic exploits of handsome men."

Adam felt himself blush and rolled his eyes slightly. "Heroism had nothing to do with it."

Ben Cartwright entered from th Kitchen having heard most of the exchange. "I would beg to differ Adam, but you haven't been willing to say enough to argue with me." Ben took Mr. Hale's hand, "It's good to see you Jeremiah. Should I tell Hop Sing to set two more places or is Elizabeth expecting you back."

"Elizabeth is actually off visiting her sister in Carson City Ben, so if Molly doesn't mind we'll stay for dinner."

Molly made a very delicate gesture with her hand and let her golden hair flip so lightly behind her. "You always say Hop Sing is a better cook then most women you know anyway Daddy."

"I guess we'll be staying then Ben." Mr. Hale said with a slightly guilty look.

88888888

Adam watched the sunset tiredly with Molly from the porch. The young lady was ever so polite and very talkative, but she hadn't let up about his trip to Yuma.

"So you aren't going to tell me anything about your trip." Molly sounded disappointed.

"Not to anyone," Adam said with a smile, "ever." the smile went away for just a second and he forced himself to smile harder.

"There is a barn dance a week from Saturday." Molly changed the subject. "Will you be going?"

Adam let his smile slip again. "I had been planing to."

"Is there a special girl you plan on asking?" Molly tried to get a little closer to Adam.

"I didn't have a girl in mind." Adam said as he moved a little further down the rail they were leaning against.

"Surely there is one girl you'd like to ask." Molly said.

This time Adam fell right off the rail and into th trough. He pulled himself out without her offered hand and said as graciously as possible. "Good evening Miss Hale." Then stormed into the house just as Molly's father was exiting. "Good Evening Mr. Hale" He walked right past Molly's father and his own without another word.

88888888

(I am Pretty sure that is a running gag somewhere.)


	4. Chapter 4

The Terrible Fate of Adam Cartwright

by Lyda Mae (RavenDove) Dameron

Chapter Four

88888888

Ben found Adam in his room putting on his night cloths now that his pants were soaked through. "Are you alright Adam?" Ben said through a mostly closed door.

Adam wanted to scream at his father but he farced it down. "I'm fine Pa, just fell in the trough."

Ben came through the door once he figured Adam was at least mostly decent. "I really don't think you are fine Adam."

"Why wouldn't I be fine Pa?" Adam said as he put the wet pant and shirt over a screen to dry.

"Because you just made a fool of yourself in front of a very nice young lady." Ben said. "Because it wasn't that long ago that you almost died, and aside from telling the Sheriff what was mostly bare details you have refused to talk about it since."

Adam clenched his fists so hard that Ben could see them shake then released them as quickly as they had been clenched. "What is there to talk about.?"

"Only you know that Adam." Ben sat down on Adam's bed. "I know there has to be more too it, because we all hear you cry out in your dreams."

Adam set a chair to face hi father and sat down. "I don't have anything to talk about except how that young lady was over zealous about trying to get me to ask her to the next barn dance."

Ben knew Adam was trying to avoid talking, but he could play this game. "You really should ask a girl to the dance."

"Why?"

"Because it would be healthy. Unlike holding in what's making you hurt."

Adam stood up and kicked the chair.

"I'll thank you not to abuse the furniture." Ben told his son. "If you won't talk to me tonight then I will be leaving instructions that you are not to be left alone or allowed to leave this ranch without one of your brothers or I present." Ben stood. "I'll also be requiring you to hand over your razer and any knives you might have in this room."

Adam looked at his father as if he was talking a foreign language. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You are acting like a man about to self destruct and I'll be damned if I'll let it happen while I'm watching."

Adam sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands unable to watch as his father took the razor from where it lay on the stand next to his other things for shaving and then searched for the pocket knives he knew Adam owned. When Ben was done he closed the door behind him. "I'll see you in the morning Adam."

88888888

The next morning Ben sat at the table with with Hoss and Little Joe. Each of the younger Cartwrights had a large helping of flapjacks in front to him, but Adam's plate sat empty and without it's owner.

"Is Adam ever going to come down to breakfast?" Hoss asked.

"Maybe he died of embarrassment after last night." Joe joked.

Ben slammed his coffee on the table. "That isn't funny Joseph."

Hoss and Joe both looked at their father as if his face had just exploded.

"Your brother is not to be left alone. I took his razor last night and both of you are to make sure he doesn't handle any knives or guns until I say different."

Just then they heard the sound of breaking glass from upstairs. And they all dropped everything.

8888888

Ben burst through Adam's door to find the mirror smashed and Adam hidden under the covers. He wrestled the blanket off Adam and pulled up the sleeves of his pajamas to look at both wrists. Once it was clear that Adam was not hurt Ben pulled him right out of bed down the stairs and into where the tub was kept. It was tipped against the far wall as it always was when empty. Hoss and Joe nearly found themselves trampled in the process. They watched wide eyed as Ben pinned Adam against the wall.

"Do you need some help Pa." Hoss asked.

"Tell Hop Sing to draw some water for me." Ben said without a beat. "Joseph..."

"Yes Pa,"

"Go clean up the glass in Adam's room and make sure you get all of it."

Adam had let himself be dragged here by his father but he wasn't going to be pushed around. He made a fist and swung but he met wall. Ben had ducked him and grabbed him by the neck of his pajamas in time to pin him against the opposite wall.

"I understand you have anger inside you Adam," Ben said, "But I'm not who you are angry with. You're angry with those thieves and you're angry with Kane but you can't take it out on them."

It was then that Ben heard a sound that he didn't expect. Adam began to cry. He let go of a few tears in the desert and a few when he first woke up in Salt Flats, but Adam was weeping right now. Something had finally broken and Adam was crying like he hadn't since he was a small child. "I'm not angry with them Pa I'm angry with myself." Adam said through tears that had been held in too long.

"What could you possibly have to be with angry with yourself for?" he loosed his grip enough to let Adam turn to face him and and Adam slid down the wall. Ben went down to his knees waiting for an Answer.

"Because I'm not the better man." Adam said so softly Ben almost didn't hear it. "Kane won."

"You tried to drag him out of that desert with you even when he was trying to destroy you by making you choose to kill him."

"But there was part of me that wanted to kill him, that would have left him there."

"But you couldn't bring yourself to do either Adam."

Adam sagged onto his fathers shoulder and cried harder then before. "I see him at night in my dreams and in my dreams I can't resist the urge."Adam shook with anger. "I've killed him over and over again."

Ben held Adam and let him cry until there was a break in the sobs. "Those are just dreams. It's what happened in real life that matters." Eventually Adam came to a point where he convulsed and then became still as if he'd stopped breathing. When Ben laid Adam back against the wall he could see a pained expression on Adam's face and Ben felt for the pulse at Adam's neck. It was racing out of control. Adam clasped a hand to his chest and struggled for breath.

Hoss had been watching the exchange from behind a screen but now he saw there was something wrong. "What's happening Pa?"

Ben looked up to see Hoss with Hop Sing behind him. "Never mind the water Hop Sing go get Doc Brown."

Ben looked back down at Adam. "Help me get him to the couch Hoss." inside Ben was kicking himself.

88888888

(I told Ya I was going to lay it on thick.)


	5. Chapter 5

The Terrible Fate of Adam Cartwright

by Lyda Mae (RavenDove) Dameron

Chapter Five

88888888

Doc Brown put Adam's hand down on th covers. Once the doctor had arrived Adam had been moved back into his now glass free room. The sedative the doctor had given him was starting to take effect and Adam looked up at the world through bleary eyes. "Your heart rate is back to normal but you'll need to lie quite for a few days." He reached into his bag and pulled out a few envelops to hand to Ben. "These are sedatives if he needs them. Give him one just before bed time and another during the day if necessary." He handed Ben a small bottle. "This is Hawthorn Berry extract. Give him a tablespoon full at bed time each night. With any luck he will only need that for a short time." The doctor closed his bag. "I'll be back to see him tomorrow evening."

Ben followed the doctor into the hall. "Do you think he'll recover?"

Brown turned to Ben, "I think he will, but I would refrain from picking fights with him."

"I've been trying to get him to open up since Salt Flats, but he was just holding it all in."

"That may be why this happened. He's held it all in until it made his heart want to stop and now that he's opened up you need to get it out of him, but I would take it a little at a time because these quick releases while cathartic, aren't good for him right now."

"Thank you James." Ben said with a little hope in his voice.

88888888

Ben came down the stairs to find that both Joe and Hoss had likely remained in the house ever since the doctor had left. "You two look like a death watch."

Joe looked up at his father. "So is Adam going to be alright?"

Ben wanted to answer but it stuck in his mouth. "I don't know." Ben sat down at the table next to them. "He's been holding in what happened to him in the desert. Plus he hasn't finished recovering physically and the two together are enough to cause what happened this morning." Ben put his head in his hand briefly. "The doctor gave me some medicine for him and said to keep him quite for a few days. But we have to help him let go of what happened before it destroys him."

88888888

Tracy was stocking shelves when the usual gaggle of girls came in with the latest gossip. She turned to them with a smile. "Is there anything you girls are after or are you just looking?"

Jennifer held up a hand, "I'm looking for some blue fabric to trim that dress for the barn dance."

Agatha smiled at Tracy. "My mother wanted some more of that fabric she picked up last week for her quilt."

Tracy shook her head and went over to where the fabric was kept. "I know just the one Agatha." She pulled a bolt and made ready to start measuring for her friend.

"Have you heard the latest news about Adam Cartwright Tracy?" Agatha asked as Tracy pulled the cloth for her.

"I haven't heard any news today."

"This morning there was some kind of commotion in the main house of the Ponderosa and then Hop Sing was sent to fetch Doc Brown because Adam had had some kind of episode."

"My mother overheard Hop Sing say that Adam was clutching his cheat and struggling to breath." Jennifer continued on the heels of Agatha's statement.

"He also fell in the front trough at his house last night when Molly tried to get him to ask her to the barn dance." Agatha giggle with delight.

Molly had been quite until then spoke. "He also won't say a word about what happened on they way back from Yuma."

"He just doesn't want to tell us girls he's dying." Agatha said. "A man in his state doesn't want to look weak to the women."

88888888

(BTW I know more about Cardiac medicine causes for chest pain and treatments for them both then and now than you might think...)


	6. Chapter 6

The Terrible Fate of Adam Cartwright

by Lyda Mae (RavenDove) Dameron

Chapter Six

88888888

Adam felt like a wrung out dish rag as the sunrise came into his room. He looked over to see where his father had fallen asleep in the chair next to his bed the night before. Knowing his father cared so much was both a relief and a burden. He'd let go of something the day before and though his chest still seemed to hurt a little it was nothing like the pain he'd been holding on to for the last month. He climbed out of bed long enough to throw a blanket over his father that had fallen to the floor and then climbed back into bed and rolled over.

Ben had not been fully asleep and had not missed the gesture of the blanket. Adam had not called out during the night for the first time and whether it was the sedative or the fact that Adam had finally felt some measure of peace Ben would not likely ever know. When he was certain that Adam had fallen back to sleep he stood up and put the blanket on the back of the chair. He needed to get himself some breakfast and make sure that the instructions for the day were handed out.

88888888

Ben was out front brushing down his horse when a wagon from the Douglas's store pulled up being driven by Miss Tracy. "Good afternoon Miss Tracy." Ben said as the Wagon stopped and he offered a hand to the young lady.

"Good morning Mr. Cartwright." Tracy said as she climbed from the wagon. "We got in a shipment this morning of those things that you paid for the other day and Pa sent me to deliver them."

"That was very good of your father." Ben said. "I'll just go and find Hoss so he can help me unload them."

Tracy hesitated for a second. "I was wondering if Adam might be up to a short call?" she asked.

Ben thought about it. "He might be sleeping but if you come in to the house with me I'll ask him."

88888888

Adam sat propped up in his bed with a tray of half eaten food in front of him and his face in a book when his father entered the room.

"There is a young lady here to see you." Ben said as he entered the room. "Shall I show her in?"

Adam hesitated a moment. "Which young lady has come to call?"

"Mis Tracy came to deliver a few things for her father and thought she would see if you were accepting visitors."

Adam marked his page in the book and set it aside. "Go ahead and show Miss Tracy in." he said as he handed the abandoned tray to his father. A few moments later Tracy entered.

"I was just wondering how you were feeling Mr. Cartwright." Tracy said as she came in and took a seat.

Adam smiled a smile that actually had a touch of happiness behind it. "A little worse for wear, but I'll be fine."

"Word of your collapse has a number of people in town concerned."

Adam let out a small laugh. "I'm sure the rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated."

"People do tend to make tales larger with the retelling." She wanted to ask him about what he had said the other day, but didn't want to be thought ill of so she held her tongue. "Will you be alright Mr Cartwright?"

Adam noticed the concern in her voice. "I'll be just fine Miss Tracy." He said to reassure her. "I'm sure I'll be out of this bed in time for the dance next Saturday."

"It would be a shame if you were to miss it." Tracy said. "I hear that it will be a really nice party."

Adam thought about what his Pa had said the other night. "Has anyone asked you to the dance?"

"No," Tracy said, "I haven't exactly been trying to encourage anyone in particular either."

"Would you mind if I escorted you to the dance?"

Tracy blushed. "Will you be up to dancing?"

Adam smiled slyly. "We may have to request that the band play a few slow waltzes."

"You may escort me to the dance then Mr. Cartwright."

"I guess I'll be seeing you on next Saturday Miss Tracy." Adam said as Tracy stood up

"Till next Saturday Mr. Cartwright."

88888888

Ben had heard the whole exchange from the hall. It was a good sign.

88888888

(You may think this chapter is convenient. You are right and that is television for you.)


	7. Chapter 7

The Terrible Fate of Adam Cartwright

by Lyda Mae (RavenDove) Dameron

Chapter Seven

88888888

Doc Brown put the stethoscope to Adam's chest without receiving complaints for once. "Your heart does sound much better Adam."

If that was true then Adam felt the poking and prodding might be worth it. "So I'll survive escorting Miss Tracy to the dance?" his smile at the thought was genuine.

The doctor was hopeful at the signs he was seeing. "I'm sure that if you don't overtax yourself you will make it through the experience unscathed." He put his stethoscope back in his trusty bag. "I think you should keep taking the Hawthorn extract for now, but if you do all the right things you could still live to be a very old man.

Ben was glad to hear what Doc Brown had said. "I'd like to settle our bill before heading back to the Ponderosa."

"That will be fine Ben" the old doctor said as Adam put his shirt on. "I'll get you another bottle of that extract to take with you while you are at it." He stepped through the door into the front of his office. "It would be best if you didn't run out of it."

Once Adam had his shirt buttoned and tucked in he followed them to the front of the office. Where he watched John Perkins from the feed store come in with a bandage around his hand. "Hello John." he said as Doc Brown handed his father a bottle.

"I'll make sure to order more of this at he end of the month,"Doc Brown said," and I want to see Adam at the same time you pick it up."

"Hello Adam," John said back, "you look very good for a man who is suppose to be on his death bed."

Adam laugh, "That is most definitely and exaggeration."

"If you say so Adam," John said as Doc Brown began to look at his hand.

Adam shook his head and walked out of the office only to be followed by his father a moment later. "People around here sure love a juicy rumor." Adam said to his father.

Ben put the bottle of medicine into a box that was in the back of their wagon. "The one thing that travels fastest in the world is gossip." he said. "I thought you knew that Adam."

88888888

Tracy thought Adam looked quite nice in his suit with his shirt starched and his black tie place just right. There was even a nice color to his cheeks that hadn't been there when she had seen him laying in his room. Perhaps the medicine everyone said that Doc Brown had him taking was doing him good. The thought of him dieing even thought he was ten years her senior made her sad.

The waltz ended and Adam steered his lovely date to a seat. "I do believe you are the most beautiful girl here Miss Tracy."

"I do believe you say that to all the ladies Mr. Cartwright." Tracy said. It was an old line but it was a good one.

Adam smiled at her in that way that every girl in Virginia City wanted to be smiled at by one of the Cartwright brothers. That half tease devil grin that they had all inherited from their father. "Just the ones that are nice enough to deserve it. Would you care for some punch?"

"That would be nice."

"You wait right here and I'll be right back." Adam stood and headed for the tables of refreshments.

Shortly after Adam left Agatha Jensen and her date sat down by Tracy laughing. "So little Miss Tracy thinks to put her name in the running for Adam Cartwright's widow."

"I have no notions of the sort." Tracy said back. "I just agreed to share a few waltzes with a very nice gentleman."

"Waltz right into old Ben's purse strings when you're pregnant and Adam is in the grave more like." said Molly as she sat down too.

"Who said I was going to be in a grave?" Adam said as he returned with the Punch.

Molly and Agatha pointed to Tracy and simultaneously said, "She did..."

At this point Tracy began to cry and stood up to run out of the barn where the dance was being held. She left so fast that she knocked both of the glasses of punch to the floor.

Adam looked at both of the notorious gossips with a truly unfavorable glance ad followed after Tracy.

88888888

Adam found Tracy crying to one side of the pasture. "If you are going to eves drop and tell the town gossips what you hear you should really listen to the whole conversation." he said as he leaned on the fence of the corral behind her.

She turned to face him and her tears were obvious. "But I heard you tell Little Joe that you only had a few months to live."

Adam smiled. "I figured out where this rumor all came from. I told Joe that, 'It was not like Doc Brown had said that I only had a few months to live.' and you didn't hear all of what was said."

Tracy wiped her tears away with her handkerchief. "Then Agatha had to go on about how your Pa must be wishing you had children, because you were the son of his first love."

"Women really are the silliest creatures." Adam said as he helped Tracy to a standing position. "The fact is that Doc Brown says I may live to be a very old man." Adam smiled that wonderful smile again. "Though I can see how some women might prefer being my widow."

Tracy hit him on the chest. "I've had enough teasing for one night."

Adam tilted his head. "I'll make you a deal Tracy... I won't tease you again tonight if you give me one kiss."

Tracy smiled back. "So long as it's a dieing man's wish."

"I'd gladly die for a kiss from a pretty woman."

88888888

(Some things are better left to the imagination...)


End file.
